Cognitive Distortions and Psychiatric Diagnosis in Dually Diagnosed Adolescents

doi:10.1097/00004583-199402000-00009

Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry

Volume 33, Issue 2, February 1994, Pages 217-222

https://doi.org/10.1097/00004583-199402000-00009 Get rights and content

Abstract

Objective

The purpose of this study was to examine the characteristics and patterns of cognitive distortions among psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents.

Method

Measures of cognitive distortions, depression, and hopelessness were administered to 135 adolescents on two psychiatric inpatient units. Subjects were grouped according to their Axis I diagnoses: depression only, conduct disorder only, depression and substance abuse, conduct disorder and substance abuse, all three diagnoses, and none of the three diagnoses.

Results

Multivariate analyses of covariance indicated that differently diagnosed adolescents exhibited varying levels of cognitive distorting as measured by the Children's Negative Cognitive Errors Questionnaire (CNCEQ). In particular, adolescents with multiple Axis I diagnoses tended to score highest. On all but one of four CNCEQ subscales, the depression only group evidenced as much cognitive distortion as did the group with multiple diagnoses. However, each diagnostic grouping demonstrated its own somewhat distinct distortions based on CNCEQ subscales.

Conclusions

Findings are discussed in terms of the utility of differentiating cognitive styles for subsequent treatment. It is suggested that disparate cognitive interventions could be matched with adolescents displaying particular problems.

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: This study was supported in part by the Center for Education and Drug Abuse Research (CEDAR), funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (DA05605).

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SPECIAL ARTICLECognitive Distortions and Psychiatric Diagnosis in Dually Diagnosed Adolescents

Abstract

Objective

Method

Results

Conclusions

Clin Psychol Rev

Compr Psychiatry

Learned helplessness in humans: critique and reformulation

J Abnorm Psychol

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual

Depression: Clinical, Experimental, and Theoretical Aspects

Cognitive Therapy and the Emotional Disorders

Depression Inventory

Cognitive Therapy of Personality Disorders

Cognitive Therapy of Depression

An inventory for measuring depression

Arch Gen Psychiatry

The measurement of pessimism: the Hopelessness Scale

J Consult Clin Psychol

Alcohol and drug abuse

A survey of depressive symptoms in a child and adolescent psychiatric population: interview data

J Am Acad Child Psychiatry

Developmental issues in the classification of depression in children

The assessment of affective disorders in children and adolescents by semistructural interview: test-retest reliability of the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for school-age children, present episode version

Arch Gen Psychiatry

The role of cognition in depression: a critical appraisal

Psychol Bull

Irrational beliefs as predictors of adolescent drug abuse and running away

J Clin Psychol

An integrated analysis of the contribution made by irrational beliefs and parental interaction to adolescent drug abuse

Int J Addict

Child-rearing in England and the United States: a cross-national comparison

J Marr Family

Reason and Emotion in Psychotherapy

SPECIAL ARTICLE
Cognitive Distortions and Psychiatric Diagnosis in Dually Diagnosed Adolescents